The Ospreys have drafted in London Irish tight-head Cai Griffiths on loan for the rest of the season.

Griffiths swapped the Welsh region for the Aviva Premiership side in the close season, but has found his involvement at the Madejski Stadium limited to just six appearances. And with the Ospreys in the midst of a front-row crisis - with Aaron Jarvis out for the season and fellow tight-heads Adam Jones and Joe Rees also sidelined - Griffiths will add some much needed options to their front-row resources.

He will be ineligible to play in the Heineken Cup but the Ospreys' rugby operations manager Andy Lloyd has revealed that they are closing in on another tight-head to boost their resources.

"To lose our three first choice tight-heads to long term injuries at the same time is unprecedented," Lloyd said. "Beyond that, although Adam is pencilled in to return early in the New Year, we expect to lose him to Wales again for the Six Nations in February and March.

"With Joe and Aaron out for the entire season that leaves us looking very bare in what is a crucial position. When you factor in that we are likely to also be contributing two tight-heads to Wales U20s for two months as well, with the training commitments that comes with that, then the need for cover in that position becomes critical.

"We are very close to completing a deal for an experienced tight-head to slot into our ERC squad on his arrival, and although Cai is ineligible for the Heineken Cup having played in the Amlin Cup this season he will have a big part to play over the remainder of our PRO12 campaign, particularly during the international period.

"He will provide experienced cover in a key position, one where we have been stripped of all our senior options, and importantly he is already familiar with the Ospreys way having been a loyal servant to the region for nine years previously."